Even in Japan the anime fandom is a kinda fringe thing that's looked down on. I think that anime is a cross-cultural touchstone in part because it was cheaply imported onto American kids networks in the 90s and 00s, and in part because a lot of the mainstream stuff is directly marketed at a certain class of extremely alienated individual that exists in every sufficiently-developed capitalist society.
Even in Japan the anime fandom is a kinda fringe thing that’s looked down on.
You are mistaking otakus for "anime fandom".
Otaku culture in japan is very well defined around certain stereotypes and there is a stigma around people who describe themselves as otaku or look like one, also guilty by association with NEETs/hikikimori
Those stereotypes are weird mix or true descriptions but also punching down examples of the latter include:
-Otaku often depicted as overweight which in Japan is very bad even though IRL I don't even think there is a statistical difference.
-Often depicted with glasses or some extravagant clothing choices which is typical Japan if you are not dressing "appropriately" at your job you must have a damn good excuse.
-As I mentioned very often associated with some other condition like being a NEET or hikikimori, the stereotypical person with a computer 5 monitors in a single dirty room full of figurines used condoms, tissues etc...
So I'd definitely caution against using Japan's hate as some corroboration because without understanding the cultural differences you risk siding with a reactionary oppressive culture obsessed with norms, appearances and behaviors that must not deviate from a certain range of acceptability, the hammer and all that.
As for the broader anime fandom if you take away the hate towards otaku and NEETs then all the things we talk about most people there probably have no idea beyond your typical 40yo boomer claiming something something anime after midnight is "bad"(hint: most anime broadcast late at night because of industry related issues like ad revenue, it has nothing to do with quality of content).
If we're injecting nuance into this discussion I would say that "weebs" definitely don't include everyone who likes anime, in the same way that "otaku" don't. The two groups have undeniable parallels though, which is why I think they are drawn towards the same style of trash (despite, as Express pointed out, not all anime being trash).
As with almost everything the word lost its meaning, originaly it meant a group of people that were so deluded and obcessed with anime and Japan that they want to live there, renounce their own nationality/culture and "become Japanese", early days it would be those people who start using Japanese language like "desu" or "yo" to end sentences.
Anime fans were just that, "fans" so 20 years ago all the children watching Naruto or Pokemon would never call themselves "weebs".
Nowadays usualy anyone who watches anime = weeb at least on mainstream social media and even casuals who watch incredibly mainstream stuff will call themselves weebs.
I think in serious discussions and leftists spaces weeb still carries that original meaning after all some of those types of people still exist, but the fandom doesn't realy see it that way anymore.
Anime follows a spectrum of acceptability. Saying you like some art house thing or something mainstream like demon slayer is completely different than talking about best girl in an idol anime.
Even in Japan the anime fandom is a kinda fringe thing that's looked down on. I think that anime is a cross-cultural touchstone in part because it was cheaply imported onto American kids networks in the 90s and 00s, and in part because a lot of the mainstream stuff is directly marketed at a certain class of extremely alienated individual that exists in every sufficiently-developed capitalist society.
You are mistaking otakus for "anime fandom". Otaku culture in japan is very well defined around certain stereotypes and there is a stigma around people who describe themselves as otaku or look like one, also guilty by association with NEETs/hikikimori Those stereotypes are weird mix or true descriptions but also punching down examples of the latter include:
-Otaku often depicted as overweight which in Japan is very bad even though IRL I don't even think there is a statistical difference.
-Often depicted with glasses or some extravagant clothing choices which is typical Japan if you are not dressing "appropriately" at your job you must have a damn good excuse.
-As I mentioned very often associated with some other condition like being a NEET or hikikimori, the stereotypical person with a computer 5 monitors in a single dirty room full of figurines used condoms, tissues etc...
So I'd definitely caution against using Japan's hate as some corroboration because without understanding the cultural differences you risk siding with a reactionary oppressive culture obsessed with norms, appearances and behaviors that must not deviate from a certain range of acceptability, the hammer and all that.
As for the broader anime fandom if you take away the hate towards otaku and NEETs then all the things we talk about most people there probably have no idea beyond your typical 40yo boomer claiming something something anime after midnight is "bad"(hint: most anime broadcast late at night because of industry related issues like ad revenue, it has nothing to do with quality of content).
If we're injecting nuance into this discussion I would say that "weebs" definitely don't include everyone who likes anime, in the same way that "otaku" don't. The two groups have undeniable parallels though, which is why I think they are drawn towards the same style of trash (despite, as Express pointed out, not all anime being trash).
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As with almost everything the word lost its meaning, originaly it meant a group of people that were so deluded and obcessed with anime and Japan that they want to live there, renounce their own nationality/culture and "become Japanese", early days it would be those people who start using Japanese language like "desu" or "yo" to end sentences. Anime fans were just that, "fans" so 20 years ago all the children watching Naruto or Pokemon would never call themselves "weebs".
Nowadays usualy anyone who watches anime = weeb at least on mainstream social media and even casuals who watch incredibly mainstream stuff will call themselves weebs.
I think in serious discussions and leftists spaces weeb still carries that original meaning after all some of those types of people still exist, but the fandom doesn't realy see it that way anymore.
That's how I meant it, though I could have worded my response better.
Anime follows a spectrum of acceptability. Saying you like some art house thing or something mainstream like demon slayer is completely different than talking about best girl in an idol anime.
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